Catamaran vs Speedboat Phuket — Which Should You Choose?

The Core Difference

A speedboat and a catamaran are both private boats you charter exclusively for your group — but they are optimised for completely different things.

A speedboat is built for speed and access. It travels at 35–45 knots, reaches distant destinations in a fraction of the time, can idle into shallow bays and narrow passages, and costs significantly less to hire. It is not built for comfort on a full day at sea — there is limited shade, no onboard toilet on smaller models, and the ride can be rough in any kind of chop.

A catamaran is built for comfort and stability. It travels at 8–12 knots — slow by comparison — but provides a spacious deck, covered cockpit, proper toilet facilities, and twin-hull stability that eliminates rolling. You can stand, walk around, and relax on a catamaran in a way that is impossible on a speedboat in anything other than flat conditions.

The choice comes down to two questions: How far do you need to go? And how important is comfort during transit?

Head-to-Head Comparison

Factor	Catamaran	Speedboat
Cruising speed	8–12 knots	35–45 knots
Travel time to Phi Phi	2–2.5 hours	40–50 minutes
Stability on the water	Excellent (twin hull)	Fair to poor in chop
Seasickness risk	Very low	Moderate to high
Deck space	Large — front, cockpit, nets	Small — bench seating only
Shade available	Yes — covered cockpit	Canvas bimini only
Toilet on board	Yes (1–3 heads)	Usually not on smaller boats
Islands reachable in a day	1–2 comfortably	3–4 comfortably
Passenger capacity	10–20	8–15
Full-day hire cost	35,000–60,000 THB	14,000–35,000 THB

Choose a Catamaran If...

Anyone in your group is prone to seasickness. The twin-hull design of a catamaran sits flat on the water and barely rolls even in moderate swell. This is the single most impactful choice you can make for a group with motion sensitivity.
You have young children or older guests. A catamaran provides stable, safe deck space and makes it easy for children to get in and out of the water. Older guests can move around comfortably without holding on.
You want a relaxed, unhurried day. The catamaran experience is about quality of time on the water — a long lunch at anchor, sunbathing on the trampoline nets, swimming at a single beautiful location. If efficiency is less important than enjoyment, a catamaran wins.
You are staying at one or two locations. If your itinerary involves anchoring at Phi Phi or Racha Yai and spending most of the day there, the slower transit time does not matter — you arrive, you anchor, you enjoy.
Your group is 10 or more people. A catamaran provides enough space for a larger group to spread out without feeling crowded. A speedboat with 12 people is tight and loud all day.

Choose a Speedboat If...

You want to visit 3 or more islands in a day. The only way to cover multiple destinations (Phi Phi + Racha + Coral Island, for example) in a single day is by speedboat. A catamaran simply cannot cover that range in 8–9 hours.
Your priority is reaching Phi Phi early. Departing Chalong at 7am, a speedboat is at Phi Phi Leh before 8am — before any tour boat arrives. A catamaran departing at 7am arrives at 9:30am, when the pier is already active.
Your group is small (2–6 people) and budget matters. A speedboat at 18,000 THB for 6 people is 3,000 THB per head — roughly comparable to a group tour but with full privacy. The same group on a catamaran pays twice as much per person.
You need access to shallow or narrow locations. Speedboats can idle into spaces a catamaran's 8–10ft beam cannot reach — specific cave entrances, tight mangrove channels, and very shallow beach approaches.
Your group is experienced on the water and comfortable with motion. If everyone in your group is an active swimmer, diver, or confident on boats, the rougher ride is not an issue and the speed advantage is worth it.

Seasickness — The Deciding Factor for Many Groups

If there is any genuine concern about seasickness in your group, the choice is clear: book a catamaran.

Speedboats pound through chop at speed — the hull motion is rhythmic and pronounced. In the open Andaman, even on a good day, there is enough movement to affect passengers who are susceptible. The journey time from Chalong to Phi Phi takes 45–50 minutes at speed — that is long enough for motion sickness to develop in sensitive individuals.

A catamaran at 10 knots moves through the same water slowly and gently. The twin hull resists rolling. The cockpit is at the centre of the boat where motion is least. Guests who have never had trouble on a catamaran have experienced significant motion sickness on speedboats — the ride is genuinely different.

For groups with any uncertainty, take the catamaran. You can always take medication as a backup. You cannot change the boat once you are at sea.

Price Difference — What You Actually Pay Per Person

The sticker price gap between a speedboat and catamaran narrows significantly as group size grows.

Group Size	Speedboat (20,000 THB day)	Catamaran (45,000 THB day)	Difference per person
4 people	5,000 THB/pp	11,250 THB/pp	6,250 THB more
6 people	3,333 THB/pp	7,500 THB/pp	4,167 THB more
8 people	2,500 THB/pp	5,625 THB/pp	3,125 THB more
10 people	2,000 THB/pp	4,500 THB/pp	2,500 THB more
14 people	n/a (over capacity)	3,214 THB/pp	—

For a group of 10, the catamaran costs about 2,500 THB more per person — approximately USD 70. For most groups choosing a private charter over a group tour, this is not the deciding factor. For smaller groups, the gap is more significant and worth weighing against the comfort benefits.

Quick Decision Guide

Your Situation	Recommendation
Family with children under 10	Catamaran
Honeymoon couple, Phi Phi day trip	Either — catamaran for comfort, speedboat for early access
Group of 10+ wanting island hopping	Catamaran if 2 islands, speedboat if 3+
Anyone with motion sickness history	Catamaran — strongly
Small group (4 people) on a budget	Speedboat
Corporate team day out	Catamaran or motor yacht
Photographers needing access to tight locations	Speedboat
Multi-island Phi Phi + Racha in one day	Speedboat
Relaxed full-day at one beautiful anchorage	Catamaran

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, for multi-day itineraries. Some groups use a speedboat for day trips that require covering ground quickly, then transfer to a catamaran or yacht for an overnight stay. For a single-day charter, you choose one or the other. If you want both speed and comfort for a day trip, a motor yacht is the middle ground — faster than a catamaran (15–22 knots), more comfortable than a speedboat.

Both work for snorkelling. The catamaran has a lower stern platform that makes getting in and out of the water significantly easier, especially for less confident swimmers and children. Snorkelling equipment is provided on both. The destination matters more than the boat type — the best snorkelling near Phuket (Racha Yai, outer Phi Phi reefs) is accessible by either vessel.

The captain makes the call on whether it is safe to depart and at what speed. In genuinely rough conditions (Beaufort 5+, waves over 2 metres), the operator will typically postpone or cancel rather than endanger passengers. In moderate conditions, a catamaran is unaffected while a speedboat may need to reduce speed significantly, extending transit times. If conditions are marginal, the captain may also adjust the route to stay in more sheltered waters — for example, operating within Phang Nga Bay rather than crossing to the outer islands.

Most charter catamarans in Phuket are sailing catamarans — they have both sails and a diesel engine. In practice, on day charters, the engine is used for the majority of transits to keep to schedule. When wind conditions are favourable and there is no time pressure, captains will sail — particularly on the return leg in the afternoon when the breeze picks up. If sailing specifically is important to you, mention it when booking and the captain will plan accordingly.

Smaller speedboats (6–7m) typically carry 8–10 passengers. Larger speedboats (8–10m) carry 10–15 passengers. Capacity is set by the vessel's safety certificate — licensed operators do not exceed it. If your group is 12 or more, a larger speedboat or a catamaran is the more practical choice. With 10 people on a 6-metre speedboat, the seating is genuinely tight and the boat sits lower in the water, which affects performance and comfort.